Stokers' Corner

[Stoker]

I made a Smelter and an Advanced Smelter to help fill in the no-use gap for ore in 1.06. Both use fuel and have a profit around 10% of purchase price/annum or sometimes higher when in the perfect supply/demand position. The Smelters cost $1,900,000 and are available in 1829 using either 2 Coal+1Ore=2 Ingots OR 3Pulpwood+1 Ore=2 Ingots and the Advanced Smelter costs $2,700,000 and uses 1Coal+1 Ore =2 Ingots and becomes available in 1856. These both use existing skins. I am next working on a Copperworks to use this freshly smelted copper and then a Glassworks to use Crystals, fueled by Coal and or Pulp(Fire)wood producing Goods. These four buildings will tidy up some of the production/usage gaps in the 1.06 Patch and I will release them and the BandAid replacing all the warehouse skinned buildings in 1.06 this week.

[Stoker]

Here's the BandAid I created that replaces the Warehouse models used for new 1.06 buildings

This BandAid swaps out the Warehouse models used for new 1.06 buildings for already existing
building models and changes no gameplay parameters.The buildings that have their models being
reused will retain their originals.

If you are not using the 1.06 patch, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THIS!

This fix is completely backwards compatible with all existing scenarios. If you load a scenario
that had pre-placed one of the warehouse skinned 1.06 buildings, that pre-placed building will
appear with the original warehouse model, but any buildings created during the game will use the
new models.

Example: You have the BandAid installed and play a scenario where a "Concrete Plant" has been
pre-built, such as in my recent "LA & L.A." scenario.The pre-built Concrete Plant will appear
using the original Warehouse model, but any Concrete Plants built or spawned during the game will
use the new model for the Concrete Plant, which is the Fertilizer Plant.

This fix is also completely forward compatible. If you create a scenario with this BandAid
installed, the finished scenario will be playable by 1.06 users who do not have it installed.
The buildings that you pre-place in the scenario using the swapped models will appear as they
did in the editor, but any created during the game will use whatever model the user has installed.

Example: You have the BandAid installed and make a scenario where you pre-place a "Concrete Plant",
which will appear as the model used for the Fertilizer Plant. Someone who does NOT have the
BandAid who plays this scenario made by you will see the Fertilizer Plant model for any
Concrete Plant that you had pre- placed on the map, but any that are built (or spawned) during the
game will appear with the original Warehouse model. Anybody who has the BandAid installed will
of course see the Fertilizer Plant model for any Concrete Plant that is built (or spawned) during
the game.

The following buildings' models are changed with this fix:

Concrete Plant : Fertilizer Factory
Construction Firm : Small Commercial Building
Electronics Plant : Plastics Factory
Hospital : Medium Commercial Building
Machine Shop : Munitions Factory
Pharmaceutical Plant : Textile Mill
Warehouse : Brewery

Attached is the zip with the new BTY files and complete instructions. It is a very small download.
Happy Railroading!

[Stoker]

I made this BandAid as simple as possible to install, so that even a novice at changing files should be able to do it. Here are the instructions:

Instructions for installing this BandAid :

1. Open the " C:\Program Files\Railroad Tycoon 3\Data " folder. Right click within it and select
"create new folder" , naming it "Original Building Types". Repeat creating a new folder, this time
naming it "Stokers1.06BandAid".

2. Right click on your existing folder named "Building Types" and Copy it.

3. Paste the Copy of the "Building Types" folder into the "Original Building Types" folder. This is the
backup of your existing files. You may want to create a notepad document titled "Original BTY files"
and place it in your backup "Building Tyoes" folder so you know what is contained there.

4. Select all files included with the BandAid and Copy and Paste them into
your "Building Types" folder. Hit "Yes to all" when asked if you want to overwrite existing files. This
folder now contains the BTY files that replace the Warehouse skinned buildings in 1.06 with other
existing buildings. If you wish to retain the original Warehouse model for any of these buildings, simply
remove them from this group before you add these files to your Building Types folder .

The Warehouse modeled 1.06 buildings are now set to use another already existing building model.
You are now ready to play !

If you wish to revert back to the original Building Types files, start by
moving the "Building Types" folder (which now contains the BandAid files) into the "Stokers1.06BandAid"
folder. Then move the "Building Types" folder from the "Original Building Types" folder into the
"C:\Program Files\Railroad Tycoon 3\Data" folder.

If you have a different existing building model in mind to replace the Warehouse model on a 1.06 building, I can probably make the correct file for you, just ask.

[Stoker]

I chose smaller footprint models for the BandAid buildings after noticing that the AI has more favorable spawning and Rail laying creativity when the map is less congested with large obstacles. I also chose to replace the model the Warehouse itself uses with another model for 2 reasons. The Warehouse model is a sprawling 20th century corrugated metal complex and looks completely out of place in maps that begin before this time period. Multistory warehouses packed near the raillines were the norm in the 1800s at busy railstops. Many were heated and beginning in the mid 1800s began to be refrigerated as well as having steam engine driven elevators. The Refrigeration process those days involved running a Steam Engine to drive the Refrigeration equipment and so often looked like the factory model for the Brewery with a large smokestack and outbuildings for equipment. Many of these beautiful old buildings still exist so they don't look out of place in contemporary scenarios. The other reason is of course for the smaller footprint of the Brewery model helping the AI have a more creative track laying approach. I have played a few old scenarios with the BandAid buildings and noticed the AI has a much more fluid looking layout, often curving around obstacles and buildings instead of just making "straight line or nothing" connections.

Eidt to add: The Brewery Model also of course looks like a classic 1800s ornate brick factory, and many times when a scenario writer uses the "Warehouses" they are meant to actually be factories, so having a skin that works well as a factory was also part of the choice for using that particular model to replace the existing corrugated steel warehouse model

[WPandP]

As an Architect, I've done a few projects where we have remodeled an old brick multi-story warehouse into an office building. Now that I know how to edit 3DP's, I would be tempted to make a Warehouse body that resembled one of my own projects!

I haven't yet looked at your 1.06 replacements (I don't even run 1.06 at the moment), but I'm really glad you took on this project. It appears that in the BandAid, you are using both the 3DP and the skins of the default buildings. I would have preferred to see an alternate skin referenced, so that the Brewery and Warehouse could look different. Then, you'd have to distribute not just BTY's but also TGA's or DDS files. I always thought that the major problem with 1.06's overuse of the Warehouse was that they all looked alike, you had to get your mouse over a building to be sure what it was. A set of buildings that replaces these warehouses ought to do away with this problem, which means unique skins at least.

[Stoker]

I was pondering a Warehouse that turns into a Loft Condo Building in the 1990s.

This fix is a BandAid only, and I would love to make a better one with some new skins and a few new buildings to fill in some usage gaps with the new 1.06 cargoes. The new buildings I actually already have done and was considering including them with this. If anybody wants them let me know and i'll post them. I wanted to keep the installation of the Bandaid as simple as possible(1 set of files swapped), so that even folks who are not computer savvy could get it installed. I also wanted to make the BandAid completely backward and forward compatible.

A problem I am having in making some new skins is saving the .dds files in the correct format from Photoshop. The actual graphics aspects of repainting a skin I am good at.

[nedfumpkin]

The easiest thing to do is to use the NVidia conversion utility because it is simple to use and every dds file I have made with it has been perfect in conversion.

[Stoker]

I get an Invidia screen when I save, and none of the options I have tried in the settings have resulted in a properly working .dds . I know that its a problem with the mipmap information and I am guessing its stored in the alpha channel?

[nedfumpkin]

Makes sure the format you are saving is in dxt3.

I know the NVidia expert utility for Photoshop should be the same as the command line utility, but I've only used the command line version and it works great.

For Alpha channels, if you're not sure, try making your skin in a channel free file, then paste it into a clean skin file that has the alpha channel already set. The only problem would be windows wouldn't show light through them after dark.

[Stoker]

I tried again- success! Thanks Ned. I had been focusing on figuring out the BTY BCA CTY files mod process for the last week and now I am going to make some repainted skins for the swapped out BandAid buildings and also for the new buildings I have made. All of the Industrial buildings I made require fuel, including the new Whiskey Distillery which uses Grain and Pulpwood(firewood) to make Alcohol.

[Stoker]

A part of changing the Brewery skin that I don't know how to do is changing the "Brewery" sign/gate. I think it is made by making a "cutout" of the word Brewery in the mip map, and cutting the testure out of one of the roof texture areas. I dont know how to modify the mipmap.

[Stoker]

Well- I thought I had the .dds saving problem licked, but not quite. I am saving skins as dds "dxt3" and they save and show up in the game, but with distorted/misplaced graphics. When I save, somehow the size is being changed from square (512x512-256x256etc) to rectangular (256x512-128z256-etc). I don't know where the "command line" Nvidia tool is, I looked in the Nvidia folder and saw nothing like that.

Edit to add : I also downloaded the TM carriages, but I dont see it in there either.

[WPandP]

You can save as TGA (24 bit with alpha, origin at top left, uncompressed) rather than DDS. The file size is a little bit bigger, but I prefer it because it is an image file format that can be directly edited in a number of image editors. I only use DDS for things that really have to be DDS, like the profile view (in the train list) or the beauty shot. It took me a long time before I found a DDS conversion routine that worked, too, so don't be afraid to just work in TGA for now. If ya smile real big and say "please", you might even find that others here are willing to take your work as TGA's and repack it after converting to DDS for you.

I get the feeling, though, that you're like me and you've just got to figure it out for yourself, right?

[Stoker]

Thanks WP . Heres a screen from Photoshop showing an opened skin, and the same skin saved with the Nvidia settings shown. It clips off the right half of the image.?????

Edit to add: Sceenshot removed. I have tried saving as TGA as well now, to no avail. I selected the 24 bit option and had alpha channels selected. I don't see anything relating to the "origin top left" though. Is this another option when saving?

[nedfumpkin]

Here's the link for downloading the dds utilities from NVidia. http://developer.nvidia.com/object/nv_t ... tools.html

I just put my tga files in the same folder then run a batch file that just contains the command...

nvdxt -file *.tga -dxt3

and it converts them easily.

I prefer converting the files to DDS because a 1024x1024 skin is 4 meg versus 1 meg for the same file as dds. When making a lot of skins this can get quite large, and people have to download it.

Again, I have been using this and it works perfectly.

To deal with your wrought iron sign in the brewery skin, you can remove the alpha channel from it completely in the are of the sign, or you can rewrite the iron by editing the alpha channel, or you can create a solid sign and put expand the channel to include it. Just keep your new sign within the dimensions of the existing one.

[Stoker]

Thanks Ned, but the command line process might just be a bridge too far for me. The Nvidia plug ins I already have, take a look at the screen i posted above. It shows the Nvidia Plugins window and the settings I was using.

[nedfumpkin]

I don't use photoshop so it wouldn't make any sense to me.

When you get your skins done, post them in a zip, and I'll convert them to dds if you want.

[Stoker]

Does GIMP make this process any simpler? I have that also and have used it to mod skins in other games. As for having you convert .tga's for me, how do I know if the tga's are being saved correctly? I have done some tests and they are not showing up in the game when I put them in the UEC folder, so I am assuming there is something wrong with the format or something .

[Stoker]

Well, I tried using GIMP, and it saves in the correct format. I would definitely prefer to use Photoshop though, the GIMP just doesnt have a lot of the color changing tools that PS does. Am I simply not selecting the right save format in PS? This is bizarre and frustrating. PS will save in dds, but it cuts the image in half- keeping only the left side of the original. The resulting image will show up in the game, but obviously being painted on the the model body all wrong. Did the stooges that made this game invent their own graphics formats or something? I have never run into any problems trying to repaint skins for games before.

[Stoker]

Bring out the GIMP. The GIMP's sleepin Zed. Well then I guess you'll just have to wake him up now wontcha?

Something odd is going on here. I tried saving a skin repaint as TGA's and RT3 would not recognize them. I then took these same TGAs and opened them in the GIMP and saved them as .dds files. SHAZZAM! The game recognizes them. WEIRD. Perhaps I might have to make do with this hodge podge method to do the painting in Photshop saving as .TGA and then convert them to .DDS with the GIMP.

This was a simple repaint of the Bauxite Mine: